Beretta BB airgun - opinions?

[caseyc]

Nice BB gun! Is that a full metal blow back action?

 

[Van-Tramp]

No. It is all plastic (significantly lighter than real) and does not have blowback. The slide does not move, but it is magazine fed, so you could even practice tactical reloading while firing. CO2 last about 80-90 shots.<br><br>We just wanted something that fits the same in our hands and can be used in the same holsters we already use with the real one.

 

[wagoneer]

I'm getting off the fence for this one. Your just gonna piss someone off shooting BB's If it comes to battle never bring a knife to gunfight/unlessen you wanna carve another notch in your piece. That said I have never pulled a gun out to threaten. Just remind 'em "I am armed"

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

<p>Casey, you mentioned that you own several twenty round magazines for your Sig pistol that you bought back before the laws in your state changed.</p><p>Your continued possesion of these magazines may, or may not, be "grandfathered" in. Or your continued possesion of these magazines may, or may not, now be a felony. I don't know which. It all depends on how they wrote the law in your state. Even if they are "grandfathered" to YOU, it is unlikely that you can legally transfer them to someone else, thus negating any special value they have as "collectable".</p><p>Personally, I would not retain these magazines without checking with my lawyer. A conviction for possesion of such things would leave you permanently ineligable to possess firearms . . .</p><p>Regards</p><p>John</p>

 

[caseyc]

<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Here's an update. I returned my original Beretta airgun which was never opened, and got a different and better Beretta airgun.</span><br><br><span style="text-decoration: underline;">I got this new Beretta airgun that can load and shoot 2 different types of ammo which are BBs and pellets, here's a link below for more info.&nbsp;This dual ammo version costs $119 new at the Big 5 Sports store. &nbsp;It also has blow-back action too! &nbsp;<a style="font-size: 13px;" href="http://www.airgundepot.com/refurbis...tol-177-caliber-blow-back-action.html#reviews" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Even more cool, I got this dual red laser sight/flashlight combo adapter that slips right onto the bottom of the muzzle of the Beretta airgun. &nbsp;This sight can simultaneously emit a red laser dot plus a bright narrow beam of white light, or each can be turned on separately.</a><a style="font-size: 13px;" href="http://www.airgundepot.com/refurbis...tol-177-caliber-blow-back-action.html#reviews" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">With the laser sight, I can probably literally shoot from the hips and be spot-on accurate!</a>&nbsp;<a style="font-size: 13px;" href="" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I</a><a style="font-size: 13px;" href="http://www.airgundepot.com/refurbis...tol-177-caliber-blow-back-action.html#reviews" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.airgundepot.com/refurbis...tol-177-caliber-blow-back-action.html#reviews" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #000000; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: underline;">can't wait to play with this!<br><br></span></a></span><a href="http://www.airgundepot.com/refurbis...tol-177-caliber-blow-back-action.html#reviews" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.airgundepot.com/refurbis...tol-177-caliber-blow-back-action.html#reviews<br></a><a style="font-size: 13px;" href="" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br></a><a href="" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><br><br><br><br><br><br></a><a style="font-size: 13px;" href="" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jILs2mSgkxU<br><br><br></a>

 

[Timmymac]

If you're buying an airgun because it's fun and cheap to shoot, that's great.&nbsp; If you are buying it expecting to be 'safer' against anything larger or more aggressive than a small dog, then you're making a mistake.&nbsp; <br>Since you already have guns at home, if you feel you want some sort of protection while traveling, then go take a concealed carry class, get a carry permit, and keep the gun in your van.&nbsp; Note:&nbsp; Be sure that you only travel with the gun into states with a reciprocity agreement for where your permit is issued.<br><br>Guns for protection?&nbsp; Sure.<br><br>Airguns for protection?&nbsp; Bad idea.<br><br><br>Oh, and one other thing... If you're going to carry a gun for self-defense, you should spend sufficient quality time at a tactical shooting range to become totally familiar with how to shoot your particular gun under adverse conditions.&nbsp; Plan on doing enough good training that you aren't just brandishing a gun, but actually are able to place bullets on target while stressed out.&nbsp; The shooting qualification requirements in most states for getting a carry permit are similar to the driving test for beginners.&nbsp; It shows that you're mostly competent to handle a gun/car under ideal condition, and not shoot/run-over innocent folks.&nbsp; There are classes which can teach you to shoot in a defensive situation.&nbsp; The CCW class is to teach you *when* to shoot.

 

[Mac J]

<p>Lets all get paranoid for a second here:<br><br>Many of you have posted pictures of your vans and yourselves, and your rigs and your where-a-bouts. Now you are posting that you carry guns. Really people!!</p>

 

[minimotos95]

i open carry and drive two almost one of a kind vehicles one of which is parked in plain view in front of my parents house, i'm not concerned about the internet so much, but if/when i post pictures i block out the serial numbers.<br><br><br>Casey, on top of practicing it looks like you may also be able to hunt small(small small, like birds) game with that new pellet/bb gun, it's only 2ft-lbs of muzzle energy but i have taken birds with less then that when i was younger and even stupider

 

[caseyc]

Hi Brandon,<br><br>Thanks for your input. Also thanks for not freaking out about discussing a BB gun.&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">&nbsp;Yeah, I'm liking this Beretta airgun version that can shoot both BBs and pellets. The pellets are actually rather expensive given the limited quantity in the box, versus the cost of a bottle of BBs. The pellets almost look like small hollow-point bullets, similar to say a Winchester Silvertip. I'm guessing a pellet would have more "stopping power" versus a round BB, just a wild guess of course. At least it would probably put down small game, including rodents I imagine.<br><br>Check out the attached picture of this Beretta airgun. I also have a laser sight/flashlight combo adapter attached to it. The freakin' price tag is still stuck to the laser sight, haha! &nbsp;Actually, the laser sight was on sale for $59.99 at The Big 5 Sports store (instead of the sticker price of $99.99), plus the manager gave me a 10% discount because I got the last unit which was the floor display model. The laser sight actually has a nice tight fit onto the bottom of the muzzle because the railing has the grooves that can accommodate a laser sight.<br><br>The last time I shot a BB gun was when I was a kid playing with my dad's pump action BB rifle gun with a telescope attached. I had fun with that for target practice! &nbsp;Can't wait to start plinking tin cans with this sucker!&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">

 

[highdesertranger]

wow what a thread!&nbsp; thanks all for the entertainment.&nbsp; I love a good discussion. &nbsp;o goody spell check is working again.&nbsp; &nbsp;highdesertranger

 

[caseyc]

Welcome! Better than p@rn, huh?!&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/eek.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">

 

[Ziggy Moon]

<span id="post_message_1278650862">Many of you have posted pictures of your vans and yourselves, and your rigs and your where-a-bouts. Now you are posting that you carry guns. Really people!!</span>

<br><br><img rel="lightbox" src="http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd390/hddotson/QuestionMarkampTheMysterians.jpg" class="bbc_img">

 

[caseyc]

Come on, Ziggy, show us yours! <img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif">

 

[Mac J]

<p>Evidently I'm wrong. Driving around with guns is ok. Posting that information is also ok. Leaving one's name, vehicle type, and profile&nbsp;pictures on public forums is ok too. The problem is, you never know who reads or studies these posts. After Boston, America is out to catch bad guys. A simple stop by a police officer because you have no fixed address is one thing. A found gun in a vehicle is another. A cop can search a vehicle anytime they want by saying they smelled pot. That's all I'm saying. Happy faces change rather quickly when an angry cop starts pulling everything out of your van, after a tap on the window because you're parked suspiciously,&nbsp;and finds a gun.</p>

 

[Van-Tramp]

Mac J,<br><br>Having a gun in your vehicle is no more illegal than having hotdogs in it (in most states... obviously you must know each state's laws). So, it really makes no difference if that cop is having a bad day and wants to search it, I'm not breaking any laws. Surely, no one is recommending an illegal gun be used, or any form of illegal carrying of that gun. Even though we live on the fringes of society, I have never gotten the sense that us van-dwellers wish to break those laws of society. You can carry a gun 100% legally, just research the laws and follow them. That's what I do, and millions others across the country do the same.<br><br>The reason I'm not afraid... I don't leave my gun in my van. It stays on my BELT at all times. Go ahead, search my van... you will find nothing of value (or illegal). I have had numerous encounters with police officers while legally carrying my gun. None have arrested me or even questioned me. Many, (most?), actually support the right for a citizen to be armed, even in public.<br><br>Most states across the country are pretty safe to carry a gun on you or in your vehicle, especially the ones here in the West. Many allow open-carry without a permit at all. Many more allow it with a permit. Most allow a loaded gun carried in your vehicle (research each state's laws before doing so). Even California allows open-carry of a gun (unloaded) in rural areas. Personally I have a permit to conceal-carry which is valid in all but a few states in the country. <br><br>You may think it is rare that someone has a gun on them in this day and age, but you would be amazed how many actually do; An estimated 6 million conceal-carry permits in the USA as of 2010, and that has certainly increased in the past 3 years thanks to Sandy Hook and Aurora, CO. This does not include all those who open-carry without the need for a permit. It would be easy to estimate at least 10 million people (plus) in this country have a gun on their hip on any given day. To put that into perspective, if you walk down the street, out of every 100 people you come by, about 4 are packing heat. The little animated map on this wiki page shows just how gun-friendly our states have become over the recent years. <br><br>It is getting easier to carry, not harder... and it is certainly not illegal to do so (within the law)

 

[Mac J]

Can a person get a permit to carry a hand gun if they have no permanent address?

 

[Van-Tramp]

I do not believe so Mac, but a permit is also not required to carry a gun in many, many states.<br><br>Here is a great map that shows all the states in which you can open carry, many without a permit (hence no need of perm address).<br><br>Oh, but lets not forget this thread is about BB guns, which ironically, are more restricted than real guns. Not only would you have to research Federal and State laws to carry one (or even have one in your car) you must research each county/city ordinances as they too will have even more restrictions on BB guns. If a cop finds a BB gun (especially a loaded one) in your car, you might very well be spending the night in jail, or at least having it taken away. Here in my home-town in Colorado, it is legal to open carry a real gun, but illegal to carry a BB gun on your person. I suspect that is common among many cities to prevent kids being killed by the police officers by accident.

 

[caseyc]

This thread is about a BB gun. Not about an assault rifle, nor making homemade bombs, nor plotting terrorist acts to overthrow the government. This thread is also about a constructive&nbsp;discussion on the feasability (or lack thereof)&nbsp;of using a BB gun for self defense. As many posters have pointed out, a BB gun is probably a bad idea for self defense due to a number of reasons.&nbsp; I personally don't carry guns while travelling.&nbsp; However, I do know how to safely and legally transport *real* guns whenever I might go to a gun range for paper target practice.&nbsp; The proper method is to take out the magazine, make sure there is no round in the chamber, and keep the ammo in a separate container, and have everything locked up in a carry case to bring to the range.&nbsp; If you take a fully loaded gun to a gun range, the person who inspects your gear at the door will&nbsp;inform you that you're&nbsp;doing the WRONG thing, and either tell you how to do the proper method, or will tell you to leave the premise.&nbsp; Having gone to the gun range for target practice numerous times for the past 25 years, I know the proper method to safely and legally transport firearms.&nbsp; A BB gun is no different versus a real gun. You&nbsp;shouldn't travel around with a fully loaded gun, unless you have the proper permit to do so in your state.&nbsp; I don't have such a permit, therefore I don't do it. BTW, yes, I do own and use multiple safeboxes and gunsafes.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Wrong as in unsafe, yes, but not necessarily illegal. It can still be <span style="text-decoration: underline;">within the law</span> to transport a loaded gun. Long-guns are much more restricted in this sense (can not transport loaded) but this has more to do with hunting-laws (they do not want you hunting from your vehicle, so this was an easy way to control that), not necessarily anti-gun-laws. <br><br>Handguns are much more widely accepted as being loaded at all times and allowed to be by law , including transportation. Carrying a handgun for protection that is not loaded and 'chambered' is a useless handgun, even the majority of the State laws recognize that and allow loaded and chambered handguns in your vehicle. (again, check each state's laws before doing so please)<br><br>I still agree with you though. If you are not carrying it for personal protection, it should not be loaded while being transported. Showing up to a range with a loaded gun may no be smart, but each range has their own rules. One range allows me to carry my loaded, holstered, handgun without a second look. Another will not allow me a holstered gun (loaded or not) at all. Some inspect your guns before entering, others do not. These are not laws, just private business restrictions.<br><br>Now, back to the BB gun topic...

 

[Mac J]

I guess I assumed casey that when you started this thread asking if the forum thought this particular BB Gun would be good protection for van dwellers&nbsp;it would&nbsp;be loaded!<br>I misunderstood your entry.